Marvel Unlimited
Marvel Unlimited, formerly known as Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited, is an online service by Marvel Comics which distributes past issues of their comics via the Internet. Launching on November 13, 2007, the service has thousands of issues in its archive.Marvel Comics Opens Vault with Digital Archive from ''Wired'' NewsMarvel launches digital archive from BBC News History Marvel first began releasing comics over the internet in 1996 with Marvel CyberComics. This was later replaced by DotComics under the tenure of Bill Jemas.Marvel Unveils Digital Comics, Newsarama, December 14, 2005 This would grow to a size of dozens of comics by 2002,A Marvel DotComics Review but would later be limited to a mere 12 comics by 2004.Making a Marvel Out of a Molehill Marvel Digital Comics was first announced in 2005 as a replacement to its DotComics; however, it utilised the same Flash-based interface with only minor updates, while decreasing the comics available from 12 issues to 4 issues. At this time Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada speculated on the possibilities of adding animation to the comics, which would be realized in 2009 with the release of Spider-Woman as a motion comic.Marvel Moves Into Motion Comics With Spider-Woman from Wired News, August 18, 2009 Marvel's Digital Comics only grew modestly, reaching over 24 comics in April, 2006House of Ideas to fans: more Marvel digital comics are here!, Revenant Media until finally it relaunched in November, 2007 as Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited.Marvel Comics Opens Portal to Its Archives, TechNewsWorld, November 13, 2007 Unlike earlier initiatives, Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited was a subscription service with over 2,500 comics available to subscribers, with new comics added on a weekly basis. A small portion of the library was made available for free in an attempt to entice viewers to subscribe to the service through either its monthly or yearly plans. In response to fears from comic-sellers, Dan Buckley promised that there would be at least a 6 month delay from when a comic is published in print and when it is made available on Marvel's Digital Comics Unlimited.Marvel pops comics online, hopes fans pay from Reuters However Marvel Comics modified this policy 2008 with the release of Secret Invasion: Home Invasion. This was released online first as a tie-in with the Secret Invasion event.Free! Read SECRET INVASION: HOME INVASION! from Marvel Digital comic exclusives would be broadened to include non-event comics.Marvel Announces Five New Exclusive Online Titles, Newsarama, October 16, 2008Moving it Online - Marvel's Exclusive Online Comics, Newsarama, October 20, 2008 The initial release of exclusives included a Fin Fang Four story by Scott Gray and Roger Langridge,Marvel Digital: Roger Langridge Talks Fin Fang Four, Newsarama, October 21, 2008 Marvels Channel: Monsters, Myths and Marvels by Frank Tieri and Juan Santacruz,Marvel Digital: Frank Tieri - Galactus Doesn't Exist, Newsarama, October 23, 2008 American Eagle: Just a Little Old-Fashioned Justice by Jason AaronMarvel Digital: Jason Aaron Talks 'American Eagle', Newsarama, October 23, 2008 and Kid Colt by Tom DeFalco.Marvel Digital: DeFalco on Kid Colt, Newsarama, October 27, 2008 On October 13, 2009 Marvel launched an upgraded version of the comic viewer, dubbed the Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited Reader 3.0. The new digital comics reader added a number of new features including full screen mode, thumbnails for all pages, and easier ways of finding books related to the one being read.Marvel Digital Comics Reader 3.0 Debuts Today from Marvel It then published a daily series of "lost" Captain America comic strips that were actually modern creations written by Karl Kesel. A three-part Galacta story was also published digitally following it winning the vote to see which was the most popular story in Marvel Assistant-Sized Spectacular. In March 2013, Marvel announced that the service would be renamed from Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited to Marvel Unlimited, and that the service would expand to iOS devices. Other Marvel digital comics outlets In addition to its Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited initiative, Marvel began releasing digital comics for the iPhone and iPod Touch through a number of retailers including Panelfly, Comixology and iVerse. Unlike Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited, these comics are available for purchase as single issues.Marvel Comics now available via comiXology, iVerse, Panelfly and ScrollMotion apps from Comic Book Resources, October 29, 2009 In addition it was announced in August, 2009 that Marvel's comics would be released for the PlayStation Portable in December, 2009.Marvel Comics Coming to the PSP from InfoWorld, August 18, 2009Marvel Digital Comics Coming to Sony PSP from Marvel Competition Rival comic book publisher DC Comics already has several methods for digital distribution of some of its comics, but none are as comprehensive as Marvel's Digital Comics Unlimited service.Comics Publishers Cautiously Go Online from Associated Press References External links * Category:Marvel Comics Category:American webcomics